Spring 2019

MY
STORY
ROD
CARPAN
Like many at FAC, I grew
up here in Calgary in a
Christian home; my family
prayed together, read
the Word together, and
equipped me and my 3
younger siblings with
good, strong foundations
for our faith.
One experience that really stuck out was praying for my uncle
who had a lot of health problems when I was younger. I
remember asking God to heal him almost every night, and my
joy when God listened.
Growing up I struggled with fighting deep-rooted insecurities
about who I was as a person, my ability to make and keep
friends, and constantly comparing myself to others and
seeking their validation. That led me to isolate myself from
others or do things at “shock-value” to attract unnecessary
attention to myself. I spent a lot of time believing I was an
outsider and didn’t have what it took to fit in. Always a positive
thinker, I didn’t let those things get my spirit down, but really
struggled with self-confidence.
I had a few close friends who pushed me in my walk with Christ,
encouraged me, and gave me hope that the Lord wanted
to shape me for His purpose and His Kingdom. I really took
hold of my faith in twelfth grade, started pursuing a deeper
relationship with God, and made Him a big priority in my life.
The summer following graduation I dedicated my life to Christ
and was baptized at the church my family and I attended in
Texas. That summer was truly an exciting time for me, and
I told myself that I ready to learn and grow, but I was still
immature and arrogant. I got accepted into the engineering
program at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and
moved there that August.
Shortly after starting classes, I got plugged in with a small
group, and was mentored by an older friend, Nate – a huge
blessing. I was pursuing Christ and was curious to learn
about Him, but my heart wasn’t in the right place yet. I still
had a lot of insecurities and part of me still really desired that
acceptance and validation from others. Because of that and
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